Home Based Healthcare Phenomenon

Home Based Healthcare Phenomenon

For centuries, healthcare has been improving in ways never imagined. From portable x-ray machines to laser technology in surgeries, the modernization in the medical field has been, and always will be, astonishing. Along with new advancements, healthcare is becoming more accessible to everyone in America. Seeing that many people are struggling, along with the economic status of the United States, the accessibility of these services are important to uphold. One form of modern medical services available to patients is home-based care. Home-based healthcare is one of the newest forms of medicine, which is cost efficient, safer than health facilities, and is recommended by qualified, licensed professionals. In an economic decline in America, healthcare is direly needed by all people, however, not everyone is physically or financially able to go to a medical facility. Home treatment is the latest alternative to clinic-based care that many citizens of the United States are applauding. A significant advantage of residential-based care is the cost. An article issued by Mission stated, “The cost for home-based services ranges from roughly $30 to $100 per day.

Facility-based care costs up to 50 times that and can quickly snowball into tens of thousands of dollars for a single patient” (“5 Reasons It’s Time to Pay Attention to Home-Based Care”). The cost efficiency of this national program is a saving grace to low-income households. Not only is it assisting people in need, but it is also supporting the national healthcare system and economy. The same article by Mission affirmed, “Put simply, home health is saving our healthcare system, which consumes nearly 18 cents of every dollar spent in the U.S., while simultaneously holding the dubious distinction of least effective healthcare system among Western nations” (“5 Reasons It’s Time to Pay Attention to Home-Based Care”).

The popularity of this system is by no means ideal, but the communities that have it in action are improving the quality of life for all ailing patients. Home-based care is as equally beneficial to the economy as it is to mental and physical wellness, which is improved by being cared for at the patient’s residence.Hospitals are breeding grounds for new infections wanting to enter someone’s body, but this issue can easily be resolved if the patient is simply not in the bacteria infested facility. William Kremer, a writer for BBC NEWS, wrote, “But for some time it’s been known that about a fifth of patients who leave US hospitals are back within a month. In England the number is lower – about 7% - but readmissions still cost the NHS £2.4bn in the 2012-2013 financial year” (Kremer).

As an alternative to being treated clinically, healthcare in a home setting can prevent other illnesses from getting to a person. Being in a home environment also makes people feel less vulnerable, which boost mental health. Most normal people do not want to get out of the bed when they are sick, and with home health, they do not have to. Nurses and doctors come into the home of their charges and treat them as if they were in an office. Patients are not exposed to other illnesses, as well. Although home health may seem more appealing, it is not for everyone, given that health facilities also have certain sides to their amenities. For instance, trauma patients cannot be helped to a full extent in a home environment, because they need the specialized equipment that a hospital has.

As the acceptance of home healthcare flourishes among American Citizens, licensed physicians are also becoming fonder of it. As more and more people require the benefits of modern-day medicine, doctors work around the clock tending to each and every charge. Hospitals all across the nation are filled to capacity every single day, but many that are admitted can be easily discharged to a home-based care program depending on their condition. Just like many patients, doctors are becoming more familiarized with this new method of un-facilitated healthcare. It is also being recognized that doctors enjoy home-based treatment plainly because of the change of scenery, as opposed to being submerged in a hospital for their entire work period. A study was conducted on multiple emergency physicians by the means of a survey.

Amy Stuck, a writer for the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, reports, “Of participating EPs, 92% completed the survey, 38% reported ordering home-based healthcare from the ED as an alternative to admission, 90% ranked cellulitis among the top three medical conditions for home-based healthcare, 90% ranked “reduce unnecessary hospitalization and observation stays” among their top three perceived motivators for using home-based care, and 77% ranked “no existing process in place to refer to home-based care” among their top three perceived barriers” (Stuck). Although there are still barriers, a majority of the doctors in the study were accepting of the program. The study showed that doctors are welcoming to referring patients to a home healthcare alternative after emergency treatment and are convinced that patients with certain illnesses are more able to benefit. (Stuck).

With the progressions of healthcare continuously evolving, patients and doctors alike must keep up with it. One major advancement in this field is the option of home-based care as an alternative to clinical settings. As the provided evidence suggests, it is easy to see that this type of care is still in its incubation period, but will be known as the common form of treatment one day. Seeing that it holds many pros over medical offices or hospitals, it is a wiser decision. Home-based healthcare saves up to tens of thousands of dollars for patients, but it is not for every single person. This option is also healthier because of the fact that a hospital can cause more illnesses than a residential setting. The support provided by medical professionals is another major factor in the capability of the program’s modernization. All in all, home-based healthcare is a substantial form of medicine that will hopefully one day make the need for medical facilities obsolete.

Works Cited:

1. “5 Reasons It’s Time to Pay Attention to Home-Based Care.” NPI, Feb. 2016, homewithmission.com/blog/5-reasons-its-time-to-pay-attention-to-home-based-care/.
2. Kremer, William. “Does going into hospital make you sick?” BBC NEWS, BBC, 20 Dec. 2015, www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35131678. Accessed 20 Sep. 2018.
3. Stuck, Amy, et al. “Perspectives on Home-Based Healthcare as an Alternative to Hospital Admission After Emergency Treatment.” Western Journal of Emergency Medicine: Integrating Emergency Care with Population Health, vol. 18, no. 4, June 2017, pp. 761-769.
4. EBSCOhost do: 10.5811/westjem.2017.3.32348.